Faithful (Whiskey Run 1)

“Go out with me,” I demand. “Let me take you on a proper date.”

She blinks and stares up at me. Her mouth is glistening, wet from the kiss we shared, and I want to run my tongue across her plump lips. She shakes her head as if she’s been in a daze before finally answering me. “It’s not a good idea. You’re doing business with my dad.”

I put my hands on each side of her face. “I’m not like Mike. I wouldn’t date you to get something from your dad. And I sure as hell wouldn’t cheat on you.”

In that instant, she realizes she still has my shirt in her hands, and she lets go quickly. “Men are not always faithful, Austin. I know that.”

“If you were mine—fuck baby, even if you aren’t mine, I can’t imagine looking at another woman.”

She shakes her head. “What is it with you? Honey, sweetheart, sugar, baby, little Millie. You like nicknames or what?”

“I like watching your face light up when I call you a different name. So far, I think you like sugar and little Millie the best.”

She laughs and tries to slap me on the chest, but I grab her hand instead and hold it tight. “Go out with me.”

It’s on the tip of her tongue to say no, and I take a deep breath. I don’t think I can let her walk away if she says no. “Maybe,” she draws out. “Let me think about it.”

I kiss her quickly and pull away. “I’m not giving up on you, Millie. Now get in your truck and be safe on your way home. If I don’t let you leave now, I’m going to try to talk you into all kinds of things that I don’t think you’re ready for.”

She’s about to ask me what things, and I swear if I put a voice to the things I’ve thought about doing to her, there’s no way she’s going home alone tonight. Instead of asking, though, she climbs up into her truck. “Bye, Austin. Thank you.”

She puts the truck into gear and pulls out of the parking lot. I stand and watch until the lights are gone in the distance. It isn’t until I get into my own truck that I realize I didn’t get her number. I’ll have to call the co-op tomorrow because even though I just met her, I don’t want to miss even one day of talking to her.

4

Millie

Two days. It’s been two days since my dinner with Austin, and I haven’t seen hide nor hair of him. I keep waiting for him to show up or to at least call, but he doesn’t.

Alan, one of the delivery drivers for the co-op, interrupts my thoughts with a knock on my open door. “Hey, boss lady! The shipment for the Yates ranch came in. You want me to deliver it before I do the others?”

At the same time, the phone on my desk starts to ring. Making a quick decision, I tell Alan, “No. This first one I’m going to take. Load it in my truck.”

I wait for a questioning look or some kind of curiosity, but Alan never gives it. He just nods. “You got it.” I guess it helps that I’ve been working at the co-op since I was young. I’ve done every job here and am always pitching in to help out.

The phone rings again, and I notice it’s on my line instead of the store’s line. “This is Millie. How can I help you?”

A shrill voice comes over the line. “Millie? Is this Millie Ogle?” the woman asks.

“Yes, this is Millie Ogle.”

“Do you know an Austin Yates?”

I sit up in my chair. “Yes, I know Austin.”

The woman lets out a deep sigh. “Well, thank you sweet baby Jesus, I found you. My name is Carrie.”

“Uh...” I start, confused and a little unsure with where this conversation is going.

“So, yesterday morning Austin got thrown from his horse.”

“Oh my God, what? Is he okay?” I’m already standing up and gathering things together before I stop myself. “Is. He. Okay?” I ask again.

“Yes, yes... he’s fine. He’s stubborn as a mule. Has a concussion, banged up his knee and broke a rib or two, but he’ll live. That is if I don’t kill him first.”

I fall back in my seat. “Okay... so does he need anything?” There’s a gazillion questions I want to be asking her. Like who is she? Austin made it seem like there wasn’t a woman in the picture, but who is this that’s calling me? Better yet, why is she calling me?

“Does he need anything?” she spits out. “Yeah, he’s going to need a new housekeeper if he keeps running his mouth like he is. Look, he was in the hospital, and it seems he didn’t have a phone, and apparently I’m going to lose my job if I don’t call you. You work for a family for twenty years and you’d think you’d get a little respect. He just wanted you to know why he hasn’t called you. But I’m calling you for help. His foreman—heck, all the cowboys are going to walk out of here unless someone can calm him down. He’s been a bear.”